Tlieir want of bold roiTgh cnercry is evident to a spectator in the commonest occurrences of life. Among the English, Germans, and otlier nations, the common people very soon fly from words to blows when they qiiarrel. Not so with the lettes ; they will sit opposite one another for hours, dealing out upon one another, in turns, every term of abuse they can think of A friend told me of a quarrel which he had once seen between two Lettes, which afforded a good illustration of this. They sat opposite one another in a httle pubhc-house, with a broken pipe lying between them, which Avas the cause of the dispute. They began -with sarcastic remarks and questions, and then proceeded to regular abuse. " You thief! " " So I'm a thief, am 1? What have I stolen, pray, you rascal?" "la rascal, you lying vagalMjnd?" and so on for some time. At length they came to action. One took hold of the other's neckhandkerchicf, and began drawing it tightly together, and pulUng it about. For some time the other seemed contented with this treatment, but at last he also took hold of the other's handkerchief in the same manner. For a little while they continued pulling one another's handkerchiefs about in this manner, till one cried out to the other, ' AVhat for do you throttle me? Let go!" " No, you must let go first — r/oure throttling me!" " If you'll let go I'll let go!" One then let go a Uttle, and then the other exactly as much, the first then released his hold, and tlie second did the same ; but this was not all. The one immediately spit in his opponent's face, crying, " Take that, you vulgar fellow!" The other quietly wiped his face, and returned the compliment. The combat was now ended, both got into their sledges, and drove off in opposite directions, shouting to one another from afar all kinds of abuse, till tlieir voices were lost hi the distance.
north, degraded and borne down through long silent centuries, by the weight of a pitiless and unsparing slavery. It is melancholy to think of all the excellent natural qualities which lie dormant in the hearts of these unnoticed and unfortunate races, but which are perverted, degraded, and too often extinguished, by the cruel yoke under which they labour.
In the freest nations, indeed, the nobler qualities of the race are developed in their full perfection and beauty only in a few individuals, and in the most enslaved there are original virtues naturally so strong, that no unfavourable circumstances have sufficed to extinguish them ; but in a free nation, we may observe a certain freshness and healthiness, even in those in whom the ideal type of the national character is much defaced and blackened ; whilst an enslaved people shows always a certain sickliness, even in its best and noblest specimens. What the Lettes might become, if their natural good qualities were allowed to expand under the invigorating influence of freedom, it is impossible for us to know ; for no part of the race has for many centuries enjoyed independence ; but partly from those peasants who have enjoyed the good fortune of being mildly and justly governed, partly from the many excellent characters even now to be found amongst them, and partly from the descriptions given by old chronicles of the primitivcj patriarchal life of the ancient Lettes, we may in some measure guess how much the people are capable of improvement.
By nature, the Lettes arc soft, docile, and sensitive, in the highe--t degree ; qualities which, under more favom^able circumstances, might form the finest characters ; but slavery has so bent and perverted them, that they become pernicious and disgusting.
Their sensitive docility, which might have made them susceptible of the highest cultivation, has only turned to obsequious fawning and mean servility.
The Lettes are naturally clever, quick, intelligent, and inventive ; but never emancipated for a moment from the labours of the plough, these qualities lie dormant, or show themselves only in every-day trifles ; in the arrangement of their harness, the stitching of their furs, the platting of their shoes, and so on.
By nature the Lettes are friendly, open-hearted, and liospltable, and a stranger, an impartial and disinterested guest, coming to them as man to men, would certainly find them so ; but when the German lords and their underlings have for centuries never entered their huts but as harsh despots and tyrannical tormentors, Is it to be wondered at that the Lettes liave become timid, suspicious, and deceitful, — that their dogs creep away, and their children scream and cry, M'henever a Vatsesh (German) enters their doors ?